The Role Of Awake Fiberoptic Intubation In The Difficult Airway

Awake fiberoptic intubation (AFOI) is a specialized technique used by anesthesia providers to decrease the risk of airway management during tracheal intubation of a predicted difficult airway. The rate of AFOI has decreased, and the advent of the video laryngoscope may be a contributing factor. However, there is still a need for AFOI. This case study reviews the relevance of, current indications for, and best practices for performing AFOI. Is AFOI still relevant in current anesthesia practice when managing airway difficulties such as limited mouth opening, obstructive sleep apnea, limited neck extension, head and neck pathology, morbid obesity, and progressive airway compromise? The Difficult Airway Society’s 2020 guidelines for AFOI in adults is used as an example to evaluate the performance and outcomes of the case study presented in this paper